Citadel Of Faith
Covenant
Church
January 11, 2017
For years, people have talked about “the antichrist”. I remember in high school people were saying
that Ronald Reagan was the antichrist: R-O-N-A-L-D R-E-A-G-A-N....six letters in his first and last name.
They were convinced that because of some of his policies during the day that our 40 th President was the
antichrist. This was furthest from the truth. The same could have been said about Hitler, Stalin, Nero, etc.
Well, what we see emerging in Revelation chapter 13 is the true emerging of the antichrist. Read Revelation
13:1-10. We have seen several personages introduced with the sounding of the seventh trumpet. In chapter
12 we have seen the woman (Israel), the red dragon (Satan), the child of the woman (Christ), Michael (the
archangel), the remnant of Israel (the 144,000 who were sealed of God). We now see the other two
personages introduced competing seven from the seventh trumpet. In Chapter thirteen we see a wild Beast
which comes out of the sea and then we see a wild Beast which emerges out of the earth. For our study
tonight we will turn our attention to the first Beast mentioned. The dragon is now poised on the shore of the
sea. The sea is often referred to metaphorically to represent the nations of the world; mankind as a restless
sea. Satan, who has already been cast down to reek havoc on earth is poised to empower his representatives
who will do his bidding during the Great Tribulation. We see a wild beast coming up out of the sea (the
nations). This is no ordinary beast, but a wild beast. This first of the two Beasts will represent a political
world leader empowered by Satan to both deceive and blaspheme God. Let’s revisit the symbolic references
the scriptures give to us about “antichrist” and the specifics of this moment when the actual antichrist in
human form will emerge to exercise global control. (Read 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 & I John 4:3) These
passages remind us that there is a difference between the “spirit of the antichrist” and the actual antichrist.
The spirit is already at work in the world with lawlessness, but the day will come that the person of the
antichrist will appear. We must use caution to ensure that we are not ascribing “antichrist” status to people
and personalities because of the seemingly increasing lawlessness and evil that is happening all over the
world. This will be a specific occurrence that will be surrounded by some specific things that people can look
for to let them know this is the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy and this is THE ANTICRHRIST. After the
three and half year exile of Israel into the wilderness for protection (Rev. 12:14), the Antichrist emerges on
the scene. This is in reference to what the prophet Daniel said in Dan. 7:3-8 (read). Daniels prophetic vision
was of four beasts rising up from the sea 1) like a lion, 2) like a bear, 3) like a four headed leopard and 4)
dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong with ten horns.
Bible Scholar J. Dwight Pentecost rightly interprets these four beasts as the successive empires
which opposed Israel in the ancient world: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. If we add up the
number of heads and horns in Daniel 7, they equal the seven heads and ten horns of the Beast in
Revelation 13. Another noted scholar, John Walvoord explains the symbolism of the Beast this way:
Greece :A leopard (Dan 7:6), Medo-Persia (a bear (Dan. 7:5), and Babylon (a lion (Dan 7:4) The
antichrist appearing in Revelation 13 will embody the sum total of all the world empires that have
opposed God and His people throughout history. He will be empowered by Satan himself. We notice
in verse three the inference of a healed fatal wound on of the seven heads. Although some refer to the
“resurrection” of Rome, many believe that this Antichrist will mimic Christ’s resurrection. The whole
world will worship the dragon (Satan) through their worship of the Beast. Rev. 13:5 tells us that he will
have arrogant words and blasphemies. Through satanic miracles, deception and eloquence, this global
political leader will sweep the world off their feet and they will not only follow but worship him.
Verse six lets us know that the Antichrist will blaspheme God, heaven and everyone in it for forty-two
months. This is a real specific time that those who would want to check their clocks and verify the
authenticity of the antichrist they can do so by counting how many months the blaspheming will
continue. Remember the first half of the seven-year tribulation? During that time, god’s special
servants had miraculous protection from the dragon’s direct assault (Rev. 11:3-6). The last forty two
months of the Tribulation will be characterized by the victory of the Beast over the saints (Rev. 13:7).
There will be a bloodbath of all believers. He will amass a global military force unlike the world has
ever seen. (Rev. 13:7-8). However, there is always a remnant! There will be those who have accepted
Christ and whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Live who will not be duped by this false
prophet. But those who refuse to worship him will suffer greatly. This will be a valiant group of
believers who will stand in the midst of impending death and not deny their relationship with Jesus
Christ. What a reminder to those of us who consider our trials “so difficult”. We are not suffering until
death . (Read Heb. 12:4)
Questions to Ponder
1. How does Daniel’s prophecies coincide with that of Revelation?
2. How do we determine “signs of the times” from specific signals of the times?
3. What do you notice today setting us up for the Antichrist?
4. How does the remnant’s response to suffering encourage you?